Position           42:33.91N 070:40.60W

Date                Thursday 4 July 2013

Today is the 3^rd anniversary of our departure from the Royal Harwich Yacht Club and the start of our nomadic sailing life so it is as well to record the event and also give a brief explanation as to why we are still in Gloucester.

It was originally our intention to leave for Nova Scotia at the end of last week when the wind became favourable for the trip.  This plan was put on hold when we found that the engine would not start because, as was subsequently found out, a pressure sensor on the common rail diesel supply had failed.  The local Volvo agent helpfully said that it would be at least 14 days before they could make a house call.  Fortunately we were put on to an excellent local diesel engineer, Guy Crudele, who diagnosed the problem.  Unfortunately I managed to order a replacement sensor for a D3 model A engine, an earlier version of our engine, and not a D3 model C engine.  The weekend then got in the way and it was not until Tuesday that the correct sensor arrived.  Fortunately this has solved the problem and we now again have a working engine.

The delay has allowed a number of things to happen.  Firstly we have been able to meet up with our friends Deaken and Cate who we met when we were in Gloucester last September. 

They are still working hard on their 57 foot steel boat, conveniently moored in a large temporary structure in the garden of their house which one should point out that the top of a hill.  We started off with dinner in the Azorian restaurant which was excellent and we subsequently spent Sunday afternoon watching one of the highlights of the St Peter’s Festival weekend, the famous Gloucester greasy pole competition, from the work boat style motorboat followed by food.

The greasy pole without a competitor.  The aim is to walk the pole and capture the flag

The next major thing to occur was that son, Andrew, decided that he could get away for a visit and he flew from Austin Texas to Boston arriving on Tuesday and staying until next Monday.  We therefore decided to stay in Gloucester for 4 July and all things being equal, engine starting, anchors detaching themselves from the harbour bottom and other hazards we will actually go sailing tomorrow with the intention of ending up in Boston on Sunday to be close to the airport.

4^th July parade with a suitably fishing themed Gloucester float

In the meantime there have been a number of visits to the Cape Anne Brewery, I have once again attacked the water maker and I hope successfully adjust the drive belt (this we cannot test until we are in clean water outside the harbour).  There has also been a daily trip to collect a 100 litres of water at a time in “jugs” the last time we filled up with water was in Annapolis and even if we had had a working engine we would not have wished to lose our prime position in the Anchorage when taking the boat alongside.

Cate and Deaken are coming for dinner tonight so that we may thank them for all of the assistance given to us during our stay and then it is away tomorrow.

So there you are, does not time fly when you are enjoying yourself.  Fortunately we really like Gloucester and have found lots to do to fill the time.